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Vi Cheat Sheet (DRAFT) by

This is a draft cheat sheet. It is a work in progress and is not finished yet.

Vi Global

:o file # open file
:saveas file # save file as
:close # close current pane

Exit

:w # write (save) the file, but don't exit
:w !sudo tee % # write out the current file using sudo
:wq or :x or ZZ # write (save) and quit
:q # quit (fails if there are unsaved changes)
:q! # quit and throw away unsaved changes

Insert mode - insert­ing­/ap­pending text

i # insert before the cursor
I # insert at the beginning of the line
A # insert (append) at the end of the line
Esc # exit insert mode
 

Cut and paste

yy # yank (copy) a line
2yy # yank (copy) 2 lines
yw # yank (copy) the characters of the word from the cursor position to the start of the next word y$ # yank (copy) to end of line
x # delete (cut) character
p # put (paste) the clipboard after cursor
P # put (paste) before cursor
dd # delete (cut) a line
2dd # delete (cut) 2 lines
D # delete (cut) to the end of the line
d0 # delete (cut) to the begining of the line
 

Editing

xp # transpose two letters (delete and paste)
u # undo
Ctrl + r # redo

Visual commands

> # shift text right
< # shift text left
y # yank (copy) marked text
d # delete marked text
~ # switch case

Search

/pattern # search for pattern
:vimgrep /pattern/ {file} # search for pattern in multiple files
:cn # jump to the next match
:cp # jump to the previous match

Marking text (visual mode)

v # start visual mode, mark lines, then do a command (like y-yank)
V # start linewise visual mode
o # move to other end of marked area
 

Cursor movement

h # move cursor left
j # move cursor down
k # move cursor up
l # move cursor right
H # move to top of screen
L # move to bottom of screen
w # jump forwards to the start of a word
e # jump forwards to the end of a word
0 # jump to the start of the line
$ # jump to the end of the line
gg # go to the first line of the document
G # go to the last line of the document
5G # go to line 5
Ctrl + b # move back one full screen
Ctrl + f # move forward one full screen
Ctrl + d # move forward 1/2 a screen
Ctrl + u # move back 1/2 a screen